General liability insurance for consultants

If you or an employee at your consulting firm accidentally damages client property, your business could be held liable. General liability insurance helps cover costs related to third-party property damage. It also covers medical bills and legal expenses if a client or other non-employee is injured at your office. Many commercial landlords require businesses to secure this policy.

This policy provides liability coverage at your office related to:

• Customer injuries
• Customer property damage
• Copyright infringement and advertising injuries

Small consulting businesses can often find savings by bundling general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy. Businesses that are eligible for a BOP typically:

• Have fewer than 100 employees
• Have a small office or workplace
• Make less than $1 million in annual revenue
• Operate in a low-risk industry
• Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Talk to a licensed Insureon agent to find out if a BOP fits your consulting company.

If clients visit your office, there’s a chance that someone could accidentally get hurt. If a client slips on a wet floor and breaks a wrist, your business might end up paying medical bills, plus legal expenses if the client sues. When there's an accident, general liability insurance covers:

• Medical bills
• Attorney’s fees
• Court-ordered judgments
• Settlements
• Funeral expenses in fatal incidents

Note that this policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

General liability insurance covers accidental damage to third-party property, including the cost of repair or replacement. For example, a general liability policy could cover expenses if a consultant at your firm trips and knocks over a client's monitor. This coverage applies to incidents both at your office and off-site.

When promoting your consulting business, it's possible to accidentally copy another company’s intellectual property. Accidental advertising injuries are covered by general liability insurance. This includes:

• Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
• Copyright infringement

If you create marketing materials or promote your business on social media, you'll want to include this protection.

While general liability insurance covers the most common risks of a consulting company, it does not provide absolute protection. Other policies to consider include:

Professional liability insurance: This policy is vital for consultants who provide expert advice to their clients. Also called errors and omissions insurance, it can cover legal costs related to business mistakes or allegations that your advice caused harm.

Workers’ compensation insurance: Required in almost every state for businesses that have employees, workers’ comp can cover medical costs and partial lost wages for work-related injuries.

Business owner’s policy: This policy combines general liability insurance with commercial property insurance, typically at a lower rate than if the policies were purchased separately.

Fidelity bonds: Fidelity bonds reimburse clients if an employee at your consulting firm steals from them. They're often required by client contracts.

Cyber liability insurance: This policy provides financial protection against data breaches and cyberattacks. It also provides liability coverage for consultants who recommend software or are responsible for cybersecurity.

Are you ready to safeguard your consulting firm with general liability insurance or another policy? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.